Vehicle door latch



P 15, .1959 v s. DiCOCKBURN ETAL 2,904,365

' VEHICLE DOOR LATCH Filed Dec. 23, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENT 0R5 A TTOANEY Sept. 15, 1959 s. D. COCKBURN ETAL 2,904,365 VEHICLE DOOR LATCH Filed Dec. 23, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 w i ATTORNEY p 1959 s. D. COCKBURN EI'AL 2,904,365

VEHICLE DOOR LATCH Filed Dec. 23, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 p 19.59 s. D. COCKBURN ETAL VEHICLE DOOR LATCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 25, 1957 omvsy VEHICLE DOOR. LATCH Stanley -D. Cockbnrn, Warren, and Robert M. Fox, De-

troit, Mich.-, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit,- =lVIich., a corporation of Delaware Application'Decenrber 23,1957, Serial No. 704,582

I Claims. (Cl.2 92--280) Thislinv 'ntion r ate .toa door la ch. and more p ic larly to an improved do r latch f r a vehicle- One feat rcof theinvention is that i provide an mproved veh cle r la h; anoth r ea ur of the invent n th t it P ovide a doo la h aving novel elector m ns m va le between two-p siti ns fo sel c in the yp of pera ion of e of t opcratingme ns; a further feature of the invention is that when the selector meansv is 'in one position the door may be opened by the inside operating means regardless .of whether or not the door'is lockedfrom'the outside; and when'the selector means is in another position, the door rnay not'be opened from the insidei'when it islocked from the outside; and still anotherv feature of the invention is that it provides a door latch having a detent and inside and outside operating means with novel selector means for coupling the inside operating means eitherto the detent or to a member connected to the outside operating means.

Other features {and advantages of the invention will be apparent from'thefollowing description and'from the drawings, irr'which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sideelevational view of an automobile having the improvedv door latch mounted in the rear door thereof;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section show ing a portion of the door latch, taken along. the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a verticalsection'takenalong the line 33 of Fig; 2; g

" Fig. 4' is ahorizontal section taken along the line 4-4 Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of "Fig. 2;

Fig.6 is a section similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified species;

I Fig. 7 is-a horizontal seetion taken along the line 77 of Fig. 6; 1

Fig. 8 is a section showing a third species of the ine on;

Fig." 9 is a section similar to Fig. 8 but showing the parts in a difiere'nt position;

lig. '19 is a section taken along the'line 10'10 of Fig; 8;

Fig. 11 is a section taken along the line 11-1'1'of I I1 Fig. 'IZ' is a detail section taken along the line 12-12 Figs l3 i-s a seotiontakenalong the line 13--13 of "Fig. 8.

Referring 1 now more particularlyto the drawings, an

automobile designated generally as "20 has a body including-"a: front-quarter portion 22, a rear quarter portion 24 and a 'noof '26 mounting a back light 28 and a wind- Lshieldfil). automobile has a front :door 32 hingedly United States Patent 0 rear edge carries a latch designated generally at 36 adapted to engage a conventional striker mounted onthe rear quarter portion 24 of the body.

The rear door 34 may be opened through an outside operator comprising a conventional push button assembly 38 slidably mounted in a fixed gripping handle-.4ll. On the inner panel 66 of the door there is mounted a conventional remote turn handle 42 for opening the door from the inside, this handle being connected to the latch by a rod 44. A conventional garnish molding button 46 on the rear door is connected to a bell crank 4,8 in-the door and the bell crank is in turn connected to a locking lever in the latch by a rod 50. The latch 36 is shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. The latch parts are mount;- ed on a latch frame having a body portion 5. Whi h generally parallel to the rear or jamb edge of the H and which y be secured her by Pl It litY o bolts 54. An integral flange portion 56 projects generally at a right angle from the frame body 52 and'lies. gen} er l y p all l-to the i e p e 66 f t e do rpon which the remote handle 42 is mounted. i

A bolt 0, ch isformed as. a gear havin a ura ity of pe en ag ee is rotatably m uht d .Qnth frame body 52. As shown best in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, a. bolt o i 62 s se ur a by ldin to h oute face o the frame dy 52 a d p j cts out thro h an openin in the jamb face 64 of the door. The bolt 60 is rigid 'on a stud 68 which is journaled for rotation in thelatch frame and housing and a toothed ratchet 701 rigidly mounted on the end of the stud 68 adjacent theinner surface of the frame body 52 so that the bolt 6!), stud 68 and ratchet 70 turn as a unit. A detent fig'is pivotally mounted on a stud 74 on the frame body 52, the detent having a foot '76 adapted to engage a tooth of the ratchet 70 as shown in Fig. 2 to prevent rotation of the rat'ehet and bolt in one direction, thereby holding the door against opening movement. The detent has a downwardly extending tail 78 and a coil spring 80 is connected between the detent tail and a tab on the frame to bias the detent in a clockwise direction toward latched position .aslthe parts appear in Fig. 2. An upwardly extending arm-82 of the detent is formed at its end with a pickup 'projecr tion 84. An operating lever designated generally; as 8.6 is pivotally mounted on the frame body 52 on a stud 88 located on the opposite side of the ratchet 70 from'the detent stud 74. The operating lever 86 has a first downwardly projecting arm 94) terminating in a right angular flange 92, a second upwardly projecting arm 94 and an inwardly projecting arm -96 which extends towards the flange portion 56 of the frame, the free end of the arm 96 projecting through a slot '98 in the flange. 'The projection 100 on the arms 96 is not a pivot but is merely a bearing surface overlying the stud 7 4. A

An intermittent link 102 is pivotally mounted at the upper free end of the second arm 94 of the operating lever so that it is shiftable' longitudinally upon swinging movement of the operating lever and is swingable about its pivotal axis on the operating lever. As shown in Fig. 2, the intermittent link has a downwardly extending projection 104 terminating in 9. turned undogging tab 106 for cooperation with an undogging heel 108 on the'detent in a manner later to be described. At its free end, the intermittent link 102 is formed with a right angular tab 110 which is received in a slot 112 formed in a flange part 114 of a locking bell crank lever 116 which is pivotally mounted at 118 on the flange portion 56 of the latch frame. The other arm of the bell crank lever 11 6 is connected to the locking rod 50 which is connected to the. garnish molding button 46. When the garnish molding button is depressed, the locking lever 116is swung infla clockwise direction as the parts appear-in Fig- 3,

swinging the intermittent link counterclockwise (Bi-g5 about its pivot on the operating lever so that a pick-up tab 119 on the intermittent link moves above the tab on the detent. This condition last described is the locked position of the parts, and when the parts are in this locked position, swinging movement of the operating lever 86 with consequent longitudinal shifting of the intermittent link 102 does not cause swinging movement of the detent, since the intermittent link merely free wheels and does not pick up the detent. When the parts are in the unlocked condition of Figs. 2 and 3, swinging movement of the operating lever 86 causes the tab 119 to pick up the detent and swing it counterclockwise out of engagement with the ratchet 70. This permits free rotation of the ratchet and bolt and the door may be opened.

Outside operating means includes the push button assembly 38 shown in Fig. 1 and a push rod 122 operated thereby and engageable with the flange 92 on the operating lever 86 as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The inside operating means comprises a bell crank 124 pivotally mounted at 126 on the fiange 56 and having one arm connected to the remote rod 44 and the other arm underlying the free end of the third arm 96 of the operating lever 86. Operation of the turn handle 42 pulls on the rod 44 to swing the bell crank 124 clockwise in Fig. 3.

The bell crank 124 picks up the operating lever 86 and swings it counterclockwise to shift the intermittent link 102 to the left in Fig. 2 and swing the detent foot 76 out of engagement with the ratchet 70. If the parts are in locked condition, the tab 119 on the intermittent link does not pick up the detent and the parts merely free wheel. As shown in Fig. 3, there is an overcenter spring 127 connected between the locking lever 116 and the latch frame to yieldably hold the locking lever in its locked or unlocked position.

The latch incorporates the functions of automatic undogging and keyless locking. Automatic undogging means that if the latch is in locked condition while the door is open, movement of the door to closed position will shift the latch parts to unlatched condition so that the operator will not be locked out of the car. When the door is slammed shut, the bolt rides over the striker teeth in the body, the bolt and the ratchet 70 moving through an arc of rotation in a clockwise direction in Fig. 2 so that the detent foot 76 is cammed over the sloping back side of one or more of the ratchet teeth. This swings the detent momentarily in a counterclockwise direction so that the undogging heel 108 moves down into engagement with the undogging tab 106 on the intermittent link 102 swinging the intermittent link and the locking lever back to unlocked condition. If the operator decides to lock the door without a key, he depresses the garnish molding button while the door is open to move the latch parts to locked condition. door, meanwhile pushing in on the push button 38 to swing the operating lever 86 in a counterclockwise direction and shift the intermittent link to the left in Fig. 2 so that the undogging tab 106 is out of the path of movement of the undogging heel 108 on the detent.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a modified form of latch in which the latch is mounted down below the level of the outside push button 38. Consequently, direct connection between the push button and the downwandly extending arm of the operating lever is not feasible and a coupling lever is inserted between the push button assembly and the operating lever. The balance of the latch parts are similar to those shown in Figs. 2 through 5. In Figs. 6 and 7, the latch parts include a bolt 200 mounted for rotation with a ratchet 202 which is engageable by a foot 204 on a pivotally mounted detent 206. An operating lever 208 is pivoted on the latch frame at 210 and has a first arm 212, an upwardly extending second arm 214 and an inwardly extending third arm 216. The arm 212 is movably coupled to a coupling bell crank lever 218 which is pivotally mounted on the latch frame at 220 and which has an upwardly extending arm formed with a right an- Then he closes the gular flange 222 for engagement with a push button operated rod 224. The second arm 214 of the operating lever pivotally mounts an intermittent link 226 which is connected at its inner free end to a locking lever 228 and which has a pick-up tab similar to the tab 119 of Fig. 3 for picking up the detent 206 when the intermittent link is shifted to the left in Fig. 6. A remote lever 230 is pivoted on the flange portion of the latch frame for connection to the inside remote handle of the door, inside operation being similar to the species of Figs. 25.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, a selector lever is provided for determining two different conditions of operation from the inside remote handle 42. In one condition of operation, the remote lever is coupled to the operating lever so that inside operation is similar to that described in connection with the other species, that is, when the door is locked from the outside, it is also locked from the inside. In another condition of operation, the remote lever is uncoupled from the operating lever and is coupled directly to the detent so that the door may be opened by the inside handle 42 whether or not it is locked from the outside. When locked from the outside and opened from the inside, the latch parts are shifted back to unlocked position.

Referring first to Fig. 11, there is a rotatable gear type bolt 300 connected rigidly to a stud 302 which is rotatably journaled in the latch frame 304 and in a latch housing 306. On the inner side of the frame, the stud carries a ratchet 308, the bolt, stud and ratchet being rotatable as a unit. A detent 310 is pivotally mounted on the frame at 312. The detent has an integral foot 314 for engaging a tooth of the ratchet 308 to hold the bolt and ratchet against rotation in a counterclockwise direction as the parts appear in Fig. 11 and hold the door latched. A tail 316 projecting from the detent is connected by a spring 318 to the latch frame to bias the detent foot 314 into engagement with the ratchet and the free upper end of the detent has a projection 320 for engagement by an intermittent link in a manner later to be described. The detent is formed with an integral arm 322 which extends towards the flange portion of the frame, projecting through an opening therein.

An operating lever designated generally as 324 is pivotally mounted on the frame on a stud 326, a spring 328 biasing this lever in a clockwise direction in Fig. 11. The operating lever has a first downwardly projecting arm 330 terminating in a flange 332 adapted to be engaged by the operating rod 122 of the outside push button assembly. If the latch is mounted below the push button assembly, a'coupling lever as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be employed. An upwardly extending arm 334 on the operating lever pivotally mounts at its free end an intermittent link 336 which is adapted to pickup the detent upon shiftable movement to the left in Fig. 11 in the manner described in connection with the other embodiments of the invention. The detent has a third integral inwardly extending arm 338 which extends toward the flange portion of the latch frame and the end of which projects through the opening in this portion of the latch frame.

Referring particularly to Figs. 8 and 9, a locking bell crank lever 340 is pivotally mounted on the flange of the frame at 342, one arm of this lever being connected to the garnish molding connecting rod 50 and the other arm 344 having a slot 346 receiving a locking tab 348 bent at the end of the intermittent link 336. In Figs. 8, 9 and 11, the latch is shown in unlocked position wherein the pick-up tab 348 formed on the intermittent link lies adjacent the pick-up portion 320 of the detent so that when the intermittent link is shifted to the left in Fig.11, the detent will be swung in a counterclockwise direction out of engagement with the ratchet. If the locking lever 340 is swung in a clockwise direction in Figs. 8 and 9 through the garnish molding button 46 and connecting rod 50, the, intermittent link is. swung upward y y the locking leversso :that the pick-up tab 348 thereon lies above the detent portion 320 and :the parts" merely free wheel if the operating lever 324 is pivoted.

A remote lever designatedgenerally as 350 is pivotally mounted on the flange at 352, an upwardly extending arm ofthe remote lever being connected to'the rod 44 which extends tothe'inside remote handle .42. A selector lever 354 is pivoted on another arm of the remote lever at '356. The selector lever is movable between two positions illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, a slot 358 in the selector lever cooperating with a tab 360 which is bent from the remote lever 350 to limit movement of the selector lever relative to the remote lever and an overcenter spring 362 which is connected between the selector lever and the remote lever yieldably holding the'se'lector'lever in either of the two positions. On its upper portion, the selector lever is formed with a"bent pick-up tab 364 and on its lower portion, the selector lever is formed with a pick-up shoulder 366.

The latch frame flange carries two actuating levers adapted selectively to be coupled to the remote lever 350 depending upon the position of the selector lever. A first actuating lever 367 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a stud 368 on the opposite surface of the flange from the remote lever 350. One end of the first actuating lever is formed with a slot 370, the opposite sides of which straddle the free end of the arm 322 of the detent 310. The other end of the actuating lever 367 is bent out of the plane of the body of the lever to form a pick-up portion 371 which underlies the tab 364 formed on the selector lever when the selector lever is in the position of Fig. 9. In the position of Fig. 8 the pick-up portion 371 lies out of the path of movement of the tab 364. A second actuating lever 372 is pivoted on the stud 352 coaxially with the remote lever 350. One arm 374 of the second actuating lever underlies the free end of the third arm 338 of the operating lever 324 and a downwardly projecting arm 375 on the second actuating lever terminates in a bent tab 376 which lies adjacent and in the path of movement of the selector lever shoulder 366 when the parts are in the position of Fig. 8. In the position of Fig. 9 the tab 376 lies out of the path of movement of the shoulder 366.

When the remote handle 42 is turned, the remote lever 350 is swung in a clockwise direction as the parts appear in Figs. 8 and 9. When the selector lever 354 is in the position of Fig. 8, the pick-up tab 364 has been swung counterclockwise away from the bent end 371 of the first actuator lever. However, with the parts in this position, the pick-up shoulder 366 of the selector lever picks up the tab 376 bent from the second actuator lever 372. Consequently, upon operation of the remote handle, the remote lever 350 is coupled through the selector lever to the operating lever 324. Since the detent is operated through the operating lever 324, the intermittent link 336 will merely free wheel if the latch is in locked condition and the door will be locked both from outside and inside. If the selector lever is shifted in a clockwise direction relative to the remote lever to the position shown in Fig. 9, the pick-up shoulder 366 moves up away from the tab 376 on the second actuator lever and the pick-up tab 364 swings so that it overlies the bent portion 371 of the first actuating lever 366. With the parts in this position, upon operation of the remote handle, the remote lever 350 is coupled through the selector lever directly to the detent 310 so that the detent is swung away from blocking engagement with the ratchet 308 and the door may be opened from the inside, even though it is locked from the outside. Operation of the detent will shift the parts back to unlocked condition in the manner described in connection with Figs. 2-5.

The selector lever may be preset in either position prior to assembly of the latch in the door. If desired, an access opening may be provided in a panel of the door for the insertion of a tool to engage the selector lever and swing it to either of its positions after assembly.

' While we have shown :and described": several 1? embodiments of; our invention, it is capableofmany modifications. .Changes; therefore, in the construction. and arrangementmaybe-made without'departing from thespirit andscope of the invention as set forthin theappendcd claims.

We claim:

1. 'An automobile doorlatch of thecharacter described, including: a latch-frame; latching-means; pivotally mounted on 'said' frame; a detent pivotally mountedqon said frameand having afootadapted to engage saidlatching means to block pivotal movement-thereof in one-direction, said-detent havinganintegral arm extending there from; an operatinglever pivotally-mounted onsaid frame, said operating lever haying a first arm adapted-- tolbe oup outside op ra -means. a Samara, and a third arm extending from the pivotal mountingther'eof; outside operating means adapted to engage the first arm of said operating lever; an intermittent link pivotally connected to the second arm of said operating lever; a locking lever pivotally mounted on said frame and connected to said intermittent link for swinging said intermittent link into and out of coupled relation with said detent; a remote lever pivotally mounted on said frame; inside operating means connected to said remote lever; a first actuating lever pivotally mounted on said frame, one arm of said actuating lever being coupled directly to said detent and the other arm of said actuating lever having a pick-up tab formed thereon; a second actuating lever pivotally mounted on said frame, said second actuating lever having one arm lying adjacent the third arm of said operating lever and said second actuating lever having a pick-up tab formed thereon; and a selector lever pivotally mounted on said remote lever for movement between two positions, said selector lever having a first portion lying adjacent the pick-up tab on said first actuating lever when the selector lever is in one position and said selector lever having a second portion lying adjacent the pick-up tab on said second actuating lever when the selector lever is in another position, whereby said remote lever is coupled through said selector lever directly to said detent when the selector lever is in one position and is coupled through said selector lever directly to said operating lever when the selector lever is in another position.

2. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein said remote lever and said second actuating lever are coaxially pivoted on said frame.

3. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein said selector lever is formed with a slot spaced from its pivotal mounting point, and wherein said remote lever has a tab extending into said slot to limit movement of said selector lever relative to said remote lever.

4. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 3, including an overcenter spring connected between the selector lever and the remote lever for yieldably holding the selector lever in either of its two positions.

5. An automobile door latch of the characer described, including: a latch frame having a body lying in a plane generally parallel to the jamb face of the door and a flange extending from said body and lying in a plane generally parallel to a side panel of the door; latching means pivotally mounted on said body; a detent pivotally mounted on said body and having a foot adapted to engage said latching means to block pivotal movement thereof in one direction, said detent having an integral arm terminating adjacent the flange portion of the frame; an operating lever pivotally mounted on said frame body, said operating lever having a downwardly extending first arm adapted to be coupled to outside operating means, an upwardly extending second arm, and a third arm extending inwardly toward said flange and terminating adjacent thereto; outside operating means adapted to engage the first arm of said operating lever; an intermittent link pivotally connected to the second arm of said operating lever; a locking lever pivotally mounted on said flange and connected to said intermittent link for swinging said intermittent link into and out of coupled relation with said detent; a remote lever pivotally mounted on said flange; inside operating means connected to said remote lever; a first actuating lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said flange, one arm of said actuating lever overlying the inwardly extending arm of said detent and the other arm of said lever having a pick-up tab formed thereon; a second actuating lever pivotally mounted on said flange, said second actuating lever having one arm lying adjacent the third arm of said operating lever and said second actuating lever having a pick-up tab formed thereon; and a selector lever pivotally mounted on said remote lever for movement between two positions, said selector lever having a first arm lying adjacent the pick-up tab on said first actuating lever when the selector lever is in one position and said selector lever having a second arm formed with a shoulder lying adjacent the pick-up tab on said second actuating lever when the selector lever is in another position whereby said remote lever is coupled through said selector lever directly to said detent when the selector lever is in one position and is coupled through said selector lever directly to said operating lever when the selector lever is in another position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,625,420 Endter Jan. 13, 1953 2,629,618 Roethel Feb. 24, 1953 2,706,128 Roethel Apr. 12, 1955 2,723,145 Smith Nov. 8, 1955 

